VINEYARD IN THE DESERT

THE VINEYARD IN THE DESERT  HOSEA 2: 14,15

The theme of the book of Hosea is the Unfaithful Wife and the Faithful Husband, both of which have two identities.  The Unfaithful Wife is Israel and Gomer, Hosea’s adulterous wife.  God and Hosea are the Faithful Husband.

The verses below are the inspiration for the original song lyrics to follow.  Several years ago, Pastor Brian Ross used the verses in one of his sermons and I was strongly attracted to their metaphorical message.  God communicated these words to Hosea over 2800 years ago, but even then He thought of me and He assigned them a purpose in my life.  I treasure these verses because they are God’s personal promise to me.

Hosea 2: 14,15 (NIV)

Therefore I am now going to allure her;
I will lead her into the desert
And speak tenderly to her.

There I will give her back her vineyards,
And will make the Valley of Achor* a door of hope.
There she will sing** as in the days of her youth,
As in the day she came up out of Egypt.

*  Achor means trouble
** or respond

The “her/she” God referred to in this passage was the unfaithful wife, Israel, towards whom He had just finished venting His anger.  It seems as if in a split second, His wrath succumbs to the unconditional love He harbored for His beloved.  The Lord then came up with a plan to romance the object of His affection and gift her with what to us seems an impossibility – a vineyard in the desert.  This was not just any desert, but one specifically located in the Valley of Achor.  The valley got its name, and reputation, from a sinful Israelite named Achan, whose story is told in Joshua, chapter 7.

God intended that Hosea follow His example and seek out and “allure” his own unfaithful wife, Gomer, who was living with another man.  To get his wife back, Hosea bought her from her lover for 15 shekels of silver.  He told her that if she would remain faithful, he would remain her husband.

I was also bought back from my adulterous lover, sin, but at a much higher price.  I was also romanced by the one who calls me His beloved, even though my sins left me grotesquely unlovable.  The One who paid the price always accepts me, again and again, at the edge of the wilderness.  Then, He does the most remarkable thing…..


VINEYARD IN THE DESERT

Verse 1
As I stumbled from the wilderness
His hand reached out for mine
His living water welcome to
a thirst grown over time

Verse 2
He softly spoke His love for me
but led me back into
the parched and barren land that
I’d just finished walking through

Pre-chorus
I didn’t understand it then
what He wanted me to see
He raised His hands above the sand
and said “Just trust in me”

Chorus
And then my Jesus changed that place
of death to fertile ground
And from the earth my Jesus birthed
the vines where Life is found
He gathered up the ripened fruit
He’d use to make new wine
And said, “My Sister, this I made for you,
for you are mine”

Bridge
I never knew that there was hope ‘til He unlocked the door
and when I least deserved His grace, my Saviour gave me more 

Repeat Chorus